Apparatuses for dividing up tubular cases are used in conjunction with filling machines for the production of tubular cases which are to be subdivided into string portions like sausage strings. The apparatuses for dividing up the cases, also referred to as a dividing apparatus, are used to subdivide a case filled with a pasty material, in particular with a meat product, of constant diameter, into portions of a predetermined length. The operation of dividing up the string portions is conducted for example, like the operation of filling the case, with the case being continuously moving. During the dividing operation a constriction is produced in the filled case and one of the portions of the case beside the constriction is rotated about the longitudinal axis thereof so that a twisting-off location is formed in the region of the constriction. To prevent the case of the string portion which has just been divided off also rotating the case is so greatly constricted in the region of the dividing or twisting-off location that the case material is clamped in the region of the dividing location to such an extent that it is prevented from also rotating.
For that purpose, the known dividing apparatuses have two circulating transport elements arranged on mutually opposite sides of the case. The transport elements each include one or more dividing elements, with which the constriction between the string portions to be produced is generated and the case is clamped in controlled fashion. Two dividing elements at the transport elements respectively form a pair of dividing elements. In addition, the apparatus includes at least one drive device for the transport elements, which move the transport elements and the dividing elements at least arranged thereon at almost a uniform speed during engagement of the dividing elements with the case.
One example of a conventional apparatus is shown in EP 1 430 779 B1, which discloses for example an apparatus for dividing tubular cases having two transport elements. Arranged along the transport elements at predetermined spacings are a plurality of dividing elements, wherein guide parts for the tubular case to be conveyed with their string portions are provided between two adjacent dividing elements. The length of the string portions which correspond at the end of a finished sausage length is in that case dependent on the spacing between mutually adjacent dividing elements at the transport elements. Only those sausage lengths can be produced which, in relation to the overall length of the transport element, correspond to whole-numbered division by the dividing elements. Without modifications to or replacement of the transport elements the sausage lengths cannot be varied during the production operation. In that case two pairs of dividing elements of the transport elements simultaneously engage the filled tubular case.
In another conventional apparatus, EP 1 902 622 B1 discloses a dividing apparatus which, instead of the fixed arrangement of the dividing elements along the transport elements, provides dividing elements which are accommodated on the transport element at a variable spacing relative to each other. For that purpose, each transport element has a plurality of transport elements which are drivable independently of each other, each having correspondingly associated pairs of dividing elements. To produce different sausage length, the various pairs of transport elements are drivable by way of various drives respectively coupled thereto at appropriately matched speeds. In that way string portions can be produced at the tubular case which is filled with a meat product, the lengths of which string portions are variably adjustable. The known apparatus for dividing sausage portions of variable length however is of a highly complex configuration and requires complicated actuation of the various pairs of transport elements at the transport elements. In addition, the pairs of transport elements are exposed to high levels of acceleration by virtue of the drives to be cyclically controlled, and such acceleration makes the production process which usually takes place continuously difficult to adjust and control.
DE 199 52 102 A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,990 B1 each disclose apparatuses for producing string-like foodstuffs. The apparatus has a filling tube or filling nozzle, on which a gathered case is arranged. Disposed downstream of the filling tube or nozzle is a dividing device having two endless chains, which subdivides the filled case into interconnected string portions. The dividing elements are so arranged on the endless chains that there is only ever one dividing element of an endless chain cooperating with the case and with the dividing element of the other endless chain forms a pair of dividing elements.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for dividing tubular cases, with which it is possible to generate string portions of differing lengths in a simplified fashion.